Gift Of the Heart

They say the truth shall set you free_ but what if you choose to be a prisoner to set the one you Love free.? 

"...Cadeau, Akarui is the reason you didn't get married to Lijie!....." she shouted. "

What did you say..?" Cadeau sniffled quietly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

-

Cadeau woke up to the sound of wrenching knuckles dabbling gently on her bedroom door. She turned sideways pretending she heard nothing. But as the knock persisted, she slowly opened her eyes and shouted, "come in."

She waited till she heard the footsteps approaching, and then she turned on her left averting her gaze upwards and said.  "Good morning Remy,?" and closed her eyes back to sleep.

The woman did not respond, instead she reached forward and pulled the covers off Cadeau's body.

"it's already nine in the morning Cadeau. wake up and go to bath. Besides, Fleur is waiting for you downstairs to have breakfast,"

"Nooo Remy I don't want to," Cadeau groaned, pulling back the covers, "where's mum and dad, she can eat with them." 

Again the woman did not respond, instead she walked across the room, to pull up the curtains and told her, "have you forgotten it's your wedding tomorrow.?" She slid the windows open, "by the way, your dad has left for work, and your mum has gone to the Southern moon hotel," 

"What!" Cadeau yanked off the covers, "you mean mum has left, but I told her she should wait for me or rather just wake me up,?" she stood, on her bended knees

"I also told her that," Remice moved to the study table, "but she said she wanted to get you a gift first before she went to meet the decor people," she took the flower vase in her hands.  "Though to be honest, it was your father who insisted they leave together," she winked and walked out the door, half-closing it and uttered, "or maybe she figured she was better off without you," she laughed, and quickly shut it  before Cadeau could react.

Remice also called Remy, had worked for the Wan family for years, she was their nany, and she had seen the three children, Guerrier, Cadeau and Fleur grow. And by now she was part of the family.

"Ahhhg, Dad!" Cadeau screamed.

She walked to the bathroom, but then hesitated for a second and walked back to get her phone, and typed a message quickly, 'morning Tasha, please come to my house, kisses,' she threw it on the bed, and headed for the shower.

Natasha and Cadeau had been Bestfriends for nearly five years. But they were like twins with one heart however, different like the north and south pole. 

fifteen minutes later, Cadeau came out of the bathroom, she carefully appertained her lotion, she walked to her closet, and purposely chose her favorite peach dress or rather Lijie's favourite dress of hers.

 

You look very heavenly, and luscious in this dress, it makes me wonder if all women were created by the same person, he once told her when she put it on. 

She blushed, at the thought of he's words, as she tied her hair in a puff.

she buckled her shoes, and sat on the edge of the bed to pack her her purse, suddenly remembering Natasha's words, 'you know this a dream come true Cadeau,' she had said, 'you and Lijie have been in love your whole life, and now finally you're getting married.

She smiled, indeed maybe it was a dream come true, the only person she loved, and the only person she had learnt to love since childhood, was the person she was tying the knot with.

  It was no secret that Cadeau only had eyes for Lijie. And since kindergarten, she had wished for nothing, but he's love, and at last, on her birthday, she was going to say I do. 

-She snapped out of her daze, when she heard voices downstairs, Natasha is probably here she guessed, and grabbed her purse out of the room.

From upstairs, Cadeau could see Fleur and Natasha chatting and staring at something, It seemed the two where debating on something. 

 

Slowly she tiptoed to the bottom, with a mission to scare them, she carefully sneaked behind their back, but she hardly took a step, when Fleur noticed her.

Fleur stood up from her seat,  "Honestly If you where not a bride to be, then I would have definitely said you take forever to freshen up." she hugged her sister.

" you just exaggerate things Fleur...good morning." Cadeau said and pecked her on the checks.  

"good morning bride, birthday girl and wife to be," she teased back.

"All that?" Cadeau laughed and lightly pinched her as she turned to hug Natasha. "Good morning my Bff" she said. 

"Good morning to you too... looking all pretty and natural," Natasha responded.

 "Thank you.." Cadeau said and gave a light bow, " you too Tasha." 

Fleur smiled and made Cadeau do a 360 turn and said, " isn't my sister the most beautiful, voluptuous, and gorgeous bride their could ever be?"

" No, am sure you mean to say my best friend is the most beautiful, voluptuous, and gorgeous bride their could ever be." Natasha chuckled and they all laughed.  Cadeau folded her arms and skirted " alright, given all the praise can we now seat down and have some breakfast? am starving.." They laughed and all took their seats.

-

After eating and chatting for an hour. Cadeau stood up with a glass of juice in her hands and said "let me just give Remy some instructions on what to pack for the donations, I'll be back." she pushed her chair back and headed for the kitchen.

"does that mean everything you'll leave is mine!" fluer shouted. 

"yes. except for my room," she called out, " and don't be using my bathroom, otherwise I'll lock it before I go."

"Ohh please Cadeau."

"And hey, tell her to pack all your pajamas for the donation, remember a newly wedded wife sleeps naked!" Natasha shouted back. 

 Cadeau almost choked up on her juice, "what is that?" 

"yes, and there's no need for all those bamshort-pajama suits of yours, cause you'll be tasted like a meal every night Lijie comes home!" Fleur also shouted. 

 Cadeau stood in her tracks coughing and laughing hard. "you two are crazy you know that?" she shook her head and disappeared to the kitchen saying_ lijie is a saint and not a man," 

" No he's not" Fluer objected

"exactly! but she forgets that her saint also has feelings." Natasha also added the two of them laughed and spoke at the same time whilst imitating Cadeau_ To me Lijie is the only man, the rest are girls."

"Cadeau claims Lijie is the only gentleman....oh my, I love my sister."

"And that is why I love her, she's so sweet and innocent.

"And why are two you smiling? " Cadeau said after coming back from the kitchen

"Mmm.. we are happy to see you " Fleur lied

" I know those smiles" Cadeau chuckled "and I know you two very well, you were probably talking about me..." she grabbed her purse as the three of them walked to the car.

"you know what Cadeau" Tasha began, "Since there's no such thing as best bride's maid in Indian traditional weddings- I'll make sure next year at your  jiéhūn yānhuí ceremony to make an entrance and look so lavish than you the bride_you'll see, everyone will be talking about me" 

" Of course Tasha_you've never failed at that"  Cadeau laughed hoping dearly her dress would be delivered today on time before she was crippled with anxiety. 

•Cadeau being half Chinese and half Indian, her mother had requested she goes for a traditional Indian wedding- to which she agreed. However, Lijie being full Chinese he's mother wasn't quite too plushed with the idea and so the two families agreed that on the couple's first wedding anniversary they'll have their •jiéhūn yānhuí and retake their vows in a Chinese custom way.

 " Good morning Bro!" Cadeau and Fleur almost shouted at the same time when they saw their brother approaching,

"Good morning girls!" Guerrier responded walking towards them

 

"we're fine.. through with your golf?" Cadeau asked as she pecked he's checks, "yes though am hungry..." he said while hugging Fleur and turned to hug Natasha but she didn't flinch.

" And you? are you not happy to see me?" he snapped he's fingers in a playful tone,

"Me? ohh I.... I mean..how are you? sorry, good morning brother Guerrier" she stammered, hoping no one noticed how lost in thoughts she was but then suddenly the horror of how Cadeau would react if she was to find out he's the guy she had slept with at the masquerade ball crippled her heart,

"hey remember it's 'Guerrier' and not brother Guerrier, okay?" he placed he's cap on her head and said " my name means warrior in French and I prefer it stands alone, unlike brother Guerrier, that sounds off, " 

" okay" she smiled, and they all laughed 

"it seems people are too proud of their names" Fleur intercepted "mine also means flower in French, and dad says.. "

"ohh please Fleur" Cadeau interjected and got in the car," I'll see you three at the venue" Guerrier called back as he closed the car door for her. Fleur and Natasha also hooped in and in no time the car was out.